Do you know what The Prevention of Blindness Week is? It is a campaign started by the Government of India to raise awareness about eyesight and blind people.
The Prevention of Blindness Week is a campaign started by the Government of India to increase awareness about blind people. It is observed from April 1 to April 7 every year and aims at making people understand the value of eyes.
This Prevention of Blindness Week, let’s find out what Ayurveda says about eyes. Let’s unearth the ancient Ayurvedic wisdom to prevent vision loss and improve eyesight.
Eyes From The Lenses of Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, the eyes are the seat of Pitta Dosha, particularly Alochaka Pitta. Since Pitta Dosha tends to get unbalanced with advancing age, your eyesight and vision might also get affected as you grow old. Therefore, Ayurvedic texts describe eyes and good eye care habits in length to keep your vision clear.
Ahara or Diet by Ayurveda To Keep Your Eyes Healthy
Ayurveda recommends many foods that can help improve eye health, such as barley, wheat, red rice, green gram, vegetables, pomegranate, rock salt, etc. Therefore, you must include them in your diet.
Ayurveda also mentions certain dietary habits that can adversely affect your eye health, such as:
Triphala
- consuming sour and hot foods
- eating foods containing items of both cooling and hot properties
- intake of another meal before the digestion of the previous meal
To protect your eyesight, start eating the right food and avoid unhealthy eating habits.
Ayurvedic Herbs For Your Eyes
Triphala eye drops are known to reduce eye problems like inflammation, redness and strain. In addition, the antioxidants found in Triphala also help reduce oxidative stress and prevent damage associated with it.
- Ginkgo Biloba
Found in many parts of China, Ginkgo Biloba is one of the best herbs to improve eyesight and treat glaucoma and macular degeneration. The dried leaves of this herb can be consumed in the form of liquid extracts, capsules or tablets.
- Fennel Seeds and Almonds
Almonds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and antioxidants that help improve your eyesight naturally. On the other hand, fennel seeds are imbued with nutrients and antioxidants that help slow down the progression of cataracts and promote eye health.
If you want to garner the benefits of these two herbs, then make almond-fennel powder. Take equal quantities of almonds, fennel seeds and rock sugar and grind them into a smooth powder. Store it in an airtight container and add two teaspoons of this powder to a cup of warm milk every night. Drink this milk before going to bed and improve your eye health.
- Amla
Amla is an excellent source of vitamin C and antioxidants, known for improving eyesight. Vitamin C in Amla is also known to improve the functioning of the retinal cells and promote the health of eye capillaries.
Ayurvedic Exercises For Your Eyes
Certain Yoga exercises like palming and blinking can help alleviate eye disorders and improve vision. In fact, palming is an effective Yoga technique to prevent refractive errors.
You can also practise Neti and Trataka to improve eye health. These two techniques are a part of the six purification techniques or Shatkarma.
In Neti, you cleanse your nasal tract impurities with the help of plain warm saline water, while in Trataka, you gaze at a candle flame without blinking till your eyes tear up naturally. These exercises help the body get rid of toxins and strengthen your eye health.
Ayurvedic Home Remedies To Preserve and Protect Eyesight
- Wash Your Eyes With Cold Water
Ayurveda recommends washing eyes with cold water every morning while holding some water in the mouth at the same time. It helps to make your eyes feel fresh. Remember not to use very hot or cold water for the eyes.
- Stare at a Ghee Lamp
Take a small bowl of ghee and place a cotton wick in it. Next, light the wick and stare at its flame intensely to strengthen the vision and improve eye lustre. It is a traditional Ayurvedic eye care therapy that helps soothe the eyes.
- Soothe Your Eyes with Goat’s Milk
One of the most popular Ayurvedic remedies recommends dipping a cotton ball in goat’s milk and placing them on the eyes. It is known to relieve eye strain and soothe tired eyes.
- Use Castor Oil
It is one of the most simple yet effective Ayurvedic eye therapies. Before going to bed, put a drop of castor oil on each eye and also rub some oil on the soles of your feet. It will help make your eyes feel fresh and bright.
- Reduce Inflammation With Cucumber Slices
Cucumber slices are not a new eye care concept. Ayurveda, for centuries, has recommended the use of cucumber slices for eyes as they are highly effective in reducing inflammation, puffiness, swelling, irritation and dryness in the eyes.
- Apply Anjana to the Eyes
Anjana is an Ayurvedic herbal paste applied to the inner part of the eyelids to promote eye health. It is also beneficial in the treatment of many eye disorders such as refractive errors, watery eyes, computer vision syndrome, dry eyes, eye strain, might blindness, itching in the eyes, sliminess in the eyes, cataract, conjunctivitis, blurred vision, etc.
On a Final Note
In the current world, your eyes are arguably the most overworked organs of the body. In addition, the air pollution and increasing levels of toxins in the environment also put your eyes at risk of many eye disorders. Therefore, taking care of your eyes, going to regular eye checkups, and following Ayurvedic guidelines of diet and lifestyle are essential for improving eyesight and preventing vision loss.
